Let's cut straight to this beefy Nicaraguan puro - the Tatuaje Miami Gran Cojonu packs a 6½"×60 frame with textbook box-pressed edges. Priced around $14 per stick, this full-bodied monster from Pete Johnson's Miami operation demands your full attention, though Don Pepin's blend feels surprisingly restrained compared to his usual flavor bombs. First released in 2003, its dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper hides enough nicotine punch to make afternoon smokers think twice.
Black pepper slaps your palate immediately, followed by damp earth and cured leather notes. The Nicaraguan Jalapa filler reveals a subtle cinnamon spice that lingers on the retrohale. Smoke output stays moderate despite the massive ring gauge.
Espresso bitterness takes center stage with bittersweet chocolate undertones. Watch for a faint caramel sweetness that appears briefly around the halfway point. Ash holds firm in 1-inch segments with zero canoeing.
Cedar wood and roasted almonds emerge through the accumulating tar. The mineral tang intensifies while that initial pepper blast fades to a smoky aftertaste. Most smokers tap out at 90-minute mark as nicotine kicks in.
The Jalapa Valley filler provides that signature Nicaraguan pepper zing, blended with Estelí leaves for depth. Honduran binder leaf ensures slow combustion under the oily Ecuadorian wrapper. Hand-rolled in Miami's Little Havana using Cuban-style wooden molds, each cigar develops that distinctive box-pressed angle through 48-hour compression.
